InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between Darkness and Light ❯ The Darkness Within ( Chapter 22 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does.

Between Darkness and Light

Chapter 22: The Darkness Within

By Cataluna

Kagome turned slowly, fighting the panic that threatened to overwhelm her as his eyes took in the disheveled appearance of the room before gazing at her with absolute curiosity.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha asked again, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

`Stay calm Kagome, just stay calm,' Kagome told herself as she carefully closed the book on her lap and set it aside. She faked a yawn, stretching her arms high above her head, before leaning lazily to her side. "You're home," she said with a big smile, a large part of her glad that he was back despite the fact that he had halted her research. Pushing her hands against the floor, she tried to rise but find that her legs had fallen asleep. They shook weakly before curling underneath her, bringing her down with them.

Inuyasha chuckled at her clumsiness, his hands hooking under her shoulders. Kagome didn't dare to look him in the eyes as she was brought to his chest, her cheeks flaming into an impossible shade of red.

"Feh, clumsy wench," he chided lightly. Effortlessly, he picked her up and set her on the edge of his desk, pushing several books aside. "Now tell me why you made such a big mess of the library?"

"I was bored," Kagome answered, rubbing her face into his shirt like a cat as she thought of a way to divert his attention without having to give a blatant lie. Her nose found its way to the column of his throat, inhaling deeply as though she was trying to breathe him in. There was no way for her to describe his scent, only that he smelled strong and masculine, like nothing could touch him. "I've missed you, Inuyasha…," she whispered to that smooth, triangular patch of skin exposed at the collar. Immediately, she was aware of his heart quickening beneath her palm. "Where did you go?"

Stroking her hair gently, his other hand coaxed her chin upward. "I got back as soon as I could," he murmured softly against her lips.

Her arms circled behind his neck so she could pull him closer. "Not soon enough," she responded with a chaste kiss, which Inuyasha deepened by plunging his tongue inside her mouth. She was breathless when he finally pulled away from her, breathing hard through his nose.

"You need to get dressed before they come."

Her hand was pressed hard against her chest as she answered, ignoring the arrogant smirk on his face that came from knowing the effect he had on her, "Who?"

"Miroku and Sango. It's about the jewel."

"The jewel? What jewel?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Oh, only the most powerful jewel in the world, the one every demon and vampire in the world are hunting for," he replied flatly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh," was all she could manage, which confused him greatly. His gaze turned hard as he stared down at her, like he was trying to peel away her lies. Overcome by panic, she did the only thing she could… she kissed him. He was rigid against her for a moment before responding hungrily, and the reason for why she was kissing him in the first place was quickly forgotten when she found herself flat on the desk.

Kagome slipped her hands under his shirt, feeling hard muscles dancing under warm skin before taking a downward trail to the buckle of his belt. Eyes shut tight, Inuyasha moaned appreciatively at her boldness as she cupped his arousal, squeezing gently and feeling it further harden beneath her palm.

Chest heaving, Inuyasha pulled back and looked at her with a sly grin, "I forgot…" he started to say as he palmed one of her breasts lightly through her shirt, his thumb circling lightly at the tip. Instinctively, she cried out and thrust her chest to him. It was like her whole body was on fire from that one touch. His normally bright eyes turned dark at her reaction as he leaned towards her, his other hand moving expertly up her inner thigh to between her legs; "Remind me," he said in a husky whisper, drawing slick wetness with his fingertips as she withered beneath him, "Have I fucked you on this desk?"

<*>

Inuyasha finally collapsed on top of her with a satisfied groan, breathing short and fast against her neck. Drawing in tiny gasps of air, Kagome ran her hand soothingly up and down his back; her legs were still wrapped tight around his torso, almost like she was trying to keep him inside her. She murmured his name softly when she felt his lips on the curve of her shoulder, kissing and lazily licking the salty perspiration from her skin.

At this moment - with his weight pressed down on her and their bodies joined together - she never felt more loved, more safe. She was so incredibly lucky to have him, especially now, especially after last night. Her eyes began to water, and she immediately fought to keep herself under control.

Souta will never have that… my little brother, a vampire.

Kagome suddenly wanted to ask Inuyasha if vampires could love but quickly pushed the question aside. Hanyou could love because there were still traces of humanity inside them. Vampires were demons without souls. Logic would tell her that Souta's soul was gone, and there was no bring it back, but she refused to listen to that voice. She wanted her brother back and for him to have what she had.

Images of Souta and her goofing around in her room came into mind. She remembered teasing him about his latest crush and at the same time trying to work up his courage to ask the girl out. Her mouth began to tremble violently and moisture spilled down her face before she could stop them. To her horror, a loud sob came from her lips, and Inuyasha immediately stiffened.

He leaned back to fix his gaze on her. "You're crying."

"I-" Kagome began, understanding the importance of explaining herself. Her behavior was strange, even to her, and she knew without a doubt that he suspected something of her. She had managed to distract him once, but it wouldn't work twice. Inuyasha was too smart for that.

"Save it," he growled, cutting her off as he pushed away from her body, withdrawing himself completely. Kagome gave a small cry at the sudden emptiness and tried to keep him there by tightening her thighs. It proved to be effortless. His eyes were cold and piercing as he pulled up his jeans, zipping, but not bothering with the button.

The slayer rose on the bends of her elbows, "Inu-" His harsh glare sent her into a swift silence, and she didn't dare to say anything else after that.

Inuyasha slipped his arms underneath her and picked her up. She looked around for her t-shirt. Somehow, he had managed to undress her completely while remaining partially clothed. She could feel the silent rumbling in his chest and the aura of rage that radiated off of him as he moved toward their bedroom. He opened the door none too gently and dumped her unceremoniously on their bed. Stunned, she could only look up at him with wide eyes.

"Get dressed now and we'll talk as soon as they leave." Seeing that she was about to protest, Inuyasha continued, "Like it or not, we will talk. I refuse to be lied to."

Kagome hadn't realized she had been holding her breath until the door was shut firmly in her face. Her hands trembled, needing to grab onto something solid. She cupped her face, her fingers trailing upward until they were buried deep inside her hair, pulling slightly. What do I do…? She buried her face in her pillow in order to muffle her crying.

<*>

`You can't lie to him,' a voice taunted, startling her into an upright position. Wiping her eyes, she looked frantically around the room, searching for the source before realizing it came from inside her.

"What do you mean?" Kagome spoke softly, not wanting to be heard by Inuyasha.

Think what you want to say, I will hear.

Telepathy… Kagome nodded and repeated her question with a thought. What do you mean?

You won't be able to. He will be able to smell your lies just as easily as he can smell your blood.

She slipped off the bed and rose to her feet. `He'll know,' she thought back, pacing the room like a caged tiger before stopping in front of the dresser, `I can't lie to him… I won't be able to. He'll know!'

The voice chuckled softly, drawing a cold chill down her spine. And what do you think he'll do to your brother when he finds out?

Her face paled as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

What would your mother think?

An image of her mother falling to her knees in hysteric, clawing at her own flesh with the blunt tips of her nails flashed before her eyes, then a scene of happier times when her home was filled with life and laughter.

You can have that again… but not if the hanyou kills him before you can find the cure. Your boyfriend is a killer. He will kill him, you know?

A seed of resentment formed inside her, a darkness within her heart.

`What do I do? Tell me, please!' she pleaded brokenly.

Leave. Leave before he can smell your lies.

Her gaze fell upon the picture of them with their arms wrapped tight around each other and shook her head furiously. It was taken during a picnic, much to Inuyasha's reluctance. She had managed to get a smile out of him by whispering the reward he would receive that night if he cooperated.

I can't! I love him. I can't leave him.

`Only until you change your brother back,' the voice insisted smoothly.

The glass in the frame cracked, splitting right down the middle.

Only until…

<*>

Naraku laughed, his eyes opening lazily to the dark room. It was almost too easy. The new slayer was less troublesome than he'd thought she would be. Almost too easy, I might add. He did not know why he had been so worried about her. Fluidly, he rose to a sitting position, the cool ebony silk spilling down his bare chest to pool around his lap.

And all it took was a bond of blood, and a bond between the past and the present. He chuckled again, his hand closing around the ring that hung from his neck. Everything was going according to plan. It was time for an early celebration, and he knew just what he wanted.

"Kanna," he spoke her name and that said figure appeared suddenly at the foot of his bed.

"Bring Kikyou to me."

<*>

A light breeze brought a new scent to his nose. Inuyasha frowned and leaned across the balcony, his hands squeezing at the railing as his eyes searched the distance. A shining black speck came into view, growing larger by the second. It was them, but he wasn't sure. He could never be certain. Miroku's car was silver, not black. He watched with wary eyes as a black Highlander appeared on the street and pulled to a slow stop in front of his apartment.

The engine died softly, and Miroku stepped out of the car, whistling lightly while twirling his key around his index finger. Realizing he was being watched, he looked up and waved at him. "What do you think of my new car?" Miroku asked cheerfully as he walked around to the other side to open the door for Sango.

Inuyasha growled to show his displeasure. Only Miroku would have time to go shopping for a new car on a day like this, and then dare to ask for his opinions. Verifying one last time that it was indeed them, he turned from the balcony and made his way to the front door.

Understanding that he was in no mood to joke, Miroku's face showed complete seriousness when the door opened. "Get in," Inuyasha told them harshly, leaning against the wall to allow them to pass before securing the entrance.

"Where's Kagome?" Sango asked softly, looking around the living room in expectant of seeing her there.

Inuyasha gestured to the bedroom with a jerk of his head, "She's changing. She'll be out soon."

Smirking, Miroku opened his mouth to add a snide remark but closed it with a painful jab of Sango's elbow.

"Get what you need from the kitchen, just don't eat all my food," Inuyasha said gruffly, shooting a warning glance towards both of them before opening the balcony door and slamming it shut.

They exchanged a look. "Moodier than usual, isn't he?" Miroku sighed as he sat down on the sofa. Noticing that she was still standing awkwardly, he smiled and patted the spot next to him, "Have a seat, Sango."

To his disappointment, Sango shook her head and took her seat in the armchair across from him, hands primly on her lap and her legs crossed at the ankles. She seemed to be jumpier than ever around him. The comfort level they had achieved with each other seemed to have vanished. He hated to think it was because of this morning. `She wasn't ready… I shouldn't have moved so fast,' he told himself as he observed her silently. She caught him watching and immediately found interest in the weapon magazine on the coffee table.

Sango was lovely, a fascinating creature he had the fortune of meeting and not to mention rooming with. Something about her innocence and her continued rejection of his advances fascinated him. Arrogant as it might sound, he knew that she found him attractive. He never missed the reddening of her cheeks and the way her breath caught in her throat from his proximity… like now.

Miroku enjoyed teasing her and blatantly flirting with her, even if it meant having a constant sting on his cheeks. He could only hope that perhaps one day Sango would react more favorably to what he had to offer. `But not today,' he thought with disappointment. "Sango-" he began but was interrupted by the sound of door sliding

They both turned to look at him.

Inuyasha said nothing and went to the kitchen, bringing back a bottle of beer with him. A moment later, he returned to the room and planted himself on the recliner, merely gripping the drink in his hand instead of drinking it.

Miroku raised an eyebrow at him, "Beer instead of blood?"

"Shut up," Inuyasha growled none-too-softly through clenched teeth, and the bottle shattered suddenly in his hand, startling everyone including himself. They watched with rapt attention as foaming beer tainted with blood dripped down his arm and spilled to the carpet- which was thankfully dark instead of light.

"Inuyasha, you're…" Sango finally gasped in horror while Miroku could only continue his stare, both their eyes riveted to the spreading mixture.

Inuyasha shrugged and calmly set the remnants of the bottle on the coffee table, barely wincing as he picked out the larger of the glass shards that pierced his hand before going back to the kitchen. He turned on the faucet, letting the water wash away the mess he had made of himself. The cuts were already starting to close, forcing out foreign bits of glass from his palm. He took his hand away when the water stopped running pink and closed it into a tight fist.

He tensed when he felt movement behind him but relaxed slightly when he identified the intruder as Miroku.

"Something happened between you and Kagome?"

The mere mention of her name drew a deep growl from his throat. He was so angry at her for keeping things from him, for deliberately trying to deceive him and succeeding. He had tried playing the part of a patient lover and look where it got him. She'd played him for a fool by using her sexuality. He gripped the edge of the counter and turned his head in his direction, "None of your damn business!"

Miroku held up his hands in a sign of mock submission. "Hey, it wasn't me who wanted to know. Sango is concerned."

"Then tell that bitch to stay out of my business."

His friend's face became hard, "Don't call Sango by that name again, Inuyasha."

"The fuck you care. She's just another wench you want to rut with… and don't try to pretend she's anything different just because she's in the next room," Inuyasha sneered, enjoying the look on Miroku's face. He received just what he was looking for in the next moment when Miroku's fist came at him, connecting soundly with his jaw.

Inuyasha punched him back, releasing more force than he should on a human to send Miroku crashing into the refrigerator. Miroku's fighting skill might equal his, but he was no match for his strength. The groan of pain and the sight of blood pouring out of Miroku's broken nose brought him back to reality. He watched guiltily as his friend pushed himself off the floor, trying to breathe through the damage. He needed to vent out frustration on Kagome. It was just fucked up that Miroku got caught up in it.

"Fuck you, Inuyasha, fuck you," Miroku managed spat darkly as he finally stood on shaky legs.

Keeping silent, Inuyasha grabbed the kitchen towel off the counter and threw it at him.

Miroku caught it with his freed hand and brought it to his nose. The towel seemed to turn scarlet almost immediately, but it was better than nothing.

Deciding he had enough of Miroku's angry glare, he started to leave the room when a sudden chill slammed into him, paralyzing every muscle and every bone in his body. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move. It was as if his soul was being torn right down to the center. The room swayed, and his hands moved to grab hold of something, anything. He faintly heard the sound of broken glass as his legs failed under his weight. The last he saw was Sango on the floor, trying to mop up the mess he had made earlier, her eyes looking up just in time to catch his a second before his world turned black.

A/N:

*coughs*

So… I've finally updated.

*crickets chirping* >_>

I just hope that none of you have given up on this story, since I most certainly haven't. I can give you a dozen reasons why I took such a long time, graduating and entering the work force played a big part. Another is because I really wanted to rewrite the beginning of the story before updating. But with only 4 chapters done, I realized that it'll take me a very long time to finish. Too long, considering there are only a few chapters left.

Anyway, hope you weren't disappointed with this update. I know that it's shorter than usual, but it's the best I can do under these circumstances.